A conventional closure arrangement for pumps utilizes studs and nuts for attachment of the pump cover to the pump barrel, and to maintain sealing loads on gaskets in the assembly. A prestress of the studs is required to maintain sealing when the studs are loaded due to hydraulic pressure forces acting on the pump cover, and also to minimize elongation of the studs in order to maintain sufficient seating load on the gaskets, which may be of the spiral wound, metalasbestos type or of the O-ring variety. Accurate prestressing or torqueing of conventional studs is required, necessitating special tooling, such as stud tensioning devices, torque wrenches and/or impact wrenches. Large bolts and/or studs are required to carry the applied loads, necessitating heavy material sections and thick flanges, as well as extended diameters to accommodate the large bolts and/or studs. Thick covers are required to minimize deflections as the gasket seating load is not acting at the gasket diameter.